Smear is an unwanted phenomenon in charge coupled device (CCD) image sensors which occurs when charge is transferred from the image sensing area to the memory area. Smear is the result of charge generation in the imaging area during this transfer. Since the charge transfer speed is finite, charge generated by a bright source is added to the wrong pixels during the transfer. As charge from a particular pixel in the image area is shifted through other pixels on the way to the memory area, the light source continues to generate additional charge in these other pixels. This additional charge adds to the original amount of charge to distort the image signal. Smear is the result of this additional charge.